Blind, oh, but now I see
Truth, lies, and in between
Wrong can’t be undone, oh no
Well it slipped from the tip of your tongue
Cold on ice, a dead man’s touch
Whisper on a scream, never change a thing
~Five Finger Death Punch, Blue on Black
When I finally stumbled upon the truth.
After Felix let me in, I walked into Façade like I owned the place. I scanned the entire main floor out of habit, spotting a few guys here and there that weren’t in the titty club for the titties. I snorted; they weren't my problem, but I wondered if Emmett knew they were selling crank in his establishment. I went into the back room and knocked on the office door. Bella informed me it was the second door on the right, but I would pretend I’d seen Emmett come out of there once if he asked.
The pale yellow door swung open. “Di Stefano?”
It wasn't Emmett I came face to face with, but Carlisle. I inclined my head out of respect. “Sir, I came to speak to Emmett. It’s important.”
Carlisle frowned. I was pretty sure he was still in the dark about me, but one never knew around here. The door opened wider, and I spotted the Cullen sons seated at a small round table. As Carlisle ushered me in and closed the door behind me, Emmett stood. At his full height, he had a good three inches on me. Carlisle sat next to Jasper.
I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and held my hand at my side. “I have something for you, if I may?” I said to Emmett.
He hadn't spoken, but he nodded. His arms crossed over his chest, and the material of his sleeves strained under the pressure.
I looked down at my phone to open it and find the photo gallery. When I opened the gruesome picture of Riley with most of his neck split wide, his head hanging at a sickening angle, I held the phone up facing the room.
Jasper stood quickly, knocking over his chair, and grabbed for the phone. “I’ll be damned.”
“Who is that?” Emmett reached for the phone, snagging it from Jasper.
Three heads snapped to me as I answered. “Riley Biers.”
“No fucking way.” Jasper seemed skeptical.
“You can see his face in the picture,” Emmett defended me.
“Heard there was a problem with him. Took care of it.” I shrugged.
“Why?” Carlisle asked. He was still seated and hadn't looked at the phone.
I met his gaze squarely. “You mess with someone in the Family, you mess with us all.” It was a reason they couldn't find fault in and we all knew it.
Emmett’s eyes narrowed on me before he aimed that glare on Jasper. “Seems to me I had someone that was supposed to take care of that problem for me. He didn't.”
This was new information. And entertaining. Jasper tossed his chair around instead of righting it. “I tried! He has too many men on him, fuck. He’s not even top of the food chain and he has more gorillas than Pops.”
“Had.”
“What?” he snapped at me.
“Had.” I braced my hands on the table. “I told him I was gonna bring a parade of pussy from the club around and did he want a taste. He salivated at the offer, invited me into his inner office. He shooed away his men so I could show him the pictures I had of the girls. Sucker, that one. Not the brightest crayon in the box.”
“So you just got real close and slashed him and nobody saw you leave?”
“See, this is where you and I are different.” Jasper’s eyes narrowed, and I tried to tread carefully while keeping my persona. “I scoped ahead of time. Private back entrance, out to the waiting car. No big deal. I walked around his office while I talked up the cream pie in this joint, and not until I clamped my hand over his mouth and whispered in his ear that I was doing it for Emmett Cullen did he squirm. It was too late for him.”
Emmett came over and clapped his beefy hand on my shoulder. “My man! Let me set you up, what do you want? A car? A house? Girls?”
“Just your appreciation. I wasn't assigned the job, so there's no reward needed.”
“Damn, man, at least let me buy you a round of drinks.”
“That, I’ll agree to.”
The four of us exited the back room to head to the bar. I didn't bother telling them that the liquor they served here was shit. We took a table near the bar and Liam brought over an unopened bottle of top shelf scotch. Of course they had their own back there. No watered down cheap shit for these boys.
“I’d like to make a toast.” Emmett raised his glass once he’d poured, and Jasper sat stone-faced and ignored his brother. Carlisle lifted his glass in my direction. “To Tony!”
“To Tony,” Carlisle repeated.
I drank deeply, watching Emmett shove Jasper roughly. Jasper reluctantly raised his glass and swallowed it all in one go. The three Cullens drank quite a bit while we sat there and bullshitted about the dancers and the drugs I’d seen exchange hands. Jasper was put on the case, and I felt him shooting daggers at me.
The younger Cullens decided to call it a night, claiming two dancers from the stage and practically dragging them out the door with them.
“So.”
I looked over at Carlisle. “Yes, sir.”
“My boys treating you right? They can be… loose cannons.”
“I’ve got no complaints, sir.”
“No, I don't imagine you would.” He tapped his pinky against his glass, a large gold nugget shaped ring glinting in the lights. “After all, you call me sir when I’ve said you don't have to. You took out an enemy without being told. You took in Bella Swan when nobody asked you to.”
His eyes were direct and not cold, but not exactly warm either. He was quite good at hiding his emotions; I couldn't tell what he was thinking.
“Well, Carlisle, I call you sir because I respect you. I solved Emmett’s problem because I’d heard chatter that it wasn't being taken care of and it was becoming a big deal.” I looked down into my glass, weighing my options. “And Bella Swan was treated like shit after her father died and needed someone to give a damn about her.” I met his gaze again and saw something flicker in his clever eyes.
He leaned back in his chair and lifted a hand. Liam appeared. “Another bottle, and the limousine after that. Mr. Di Stefano also requires a ride.”
I stared back at him, refusing to fidget or sweat. Bella said he cared for her like a father, kept her secret and a watchful eye.
“So, you feel that I’ve done her a disservice.” He paused while Liam returned with a bottle, and instead of opening it Carlisle handed it to me. “A small gesture of gratitude for essentially saving my son’s life. I'll think of something more grandiose sooner or later.” He fiddled with a cigar, lighting it and sucking on the end. “Bella tells you things?”
“Not really. I form my own opinions from what I hear.”
“And what do you hear?”
“That she was forced to strip after Swan was killed. That’s blatantly true.”
“Murdered. Make no mistake, he was ambushed. His daughter was supposed to be waiting in the car outside the warehouse. Instead she was walking up to the back door when she was shot.”
A piece to the puzzle fell into place. “And she was cleaned up and sent packing?”
“Essentially.” He looked at me for several minutes. “Not my idea.”
“So who’s in charge, you or your sons? Surely you could have stepped in.”
“How do you know I didn't?”
He had me there. I couldn't reveal what I knew. “Because I found her living in a shitty apartment with ten other strippers.”
He nodded. “Point taken.”
Liam stepped up to us again. “Car’s here, sir.”
Carlisle rose. “I’ll be speaking with you soon, Tony. Thank you again.”
I sat there and watched him leave. His goons flanked him before he hit the door, and one stepped outside, presumably to speak to Felix, while the other stayed in with Carlisle. When he returned they ushered him out the door.
“Pretty boy and ass kisser.”
I looked up at the new voice. I hadn't seen him coming, I was so engrossed in Carlisle’s every move. Dark greasy hair was slicked back from a pock-marked face and a scrappy body. He reeked of alcohol and body odor.
“Can I help you?” I said coldly.
“Prolly not. I’ve been in this Family for ten years now. Nowhere near as chummy with the Cullens as you seem.” He waved over one of the scantily clad waitresses. She stood by his shoulder holding her tray propped against her hip.
“Yeah, Jimmy?”
“Vodka with a twist, sweets.” He grabbed her ass and she slapped him hard. She stalked toward the bar with a scowl on her face and I tried not to laugh at the red mark she left on his cheek. Jimmy took the seat Carlisle had occupied.
“All the shit I did for those boys and still can't make capo. Stuck in the middle, no matter how many I whack for those goons. Better when the Swan was in charge, he gave a bigger cut.”
“What's any of that gotta do with me?”
He sat forward, arms on the table. The waitress came back with his drink, staying out of arm’s reach. Jimmy didn't even glance up this time. “‘Cause you got the old man wrapped around your finger. You was just here, toasting with the boys. I gotta sit back and watch as men like you come in and get a promo while’s I got jack shit.”
“And this has what to do with me? I saved Carlisle’s life. I keep my nose down, collect the money and pass it on without one cent missing. I call out the crank sellers dealing in this club under everyone’s noses. What, you never saw it? Or you’re getting a cut and don't care to report it. Not to mention I just took out Riley motherfucking Biers. What have you ever done?”
His bloodshot eyes narrowed in on my face. His voice was shaky when he answered. “I did the biggest job of all, the one nobody can take credit for.”
My heartrate picked up at his words. I was so fucking close to what I needed. I scoffed, slapping at his ego. “Whatever you say, tough guy.”
His hand came down on the table, rattling the glasses that were still there from the other three men. A few people looked over at us but quickly went back to their own business. “I did the Swan,” he hissed. “I shot him and even got the cygnet accidental-like.”
My mouth went dry. “No fucking way. Everyone knows that was another Family.”
“Bullshit. It was E and J Cullen, goddammit. I just can't go round braggin’ ‘bout it ‘cause it ain't supposed to be advertised.”
I lifted my eyebrows and dismissed him. “Whatever you say.”
He leaned further forward, a gold chain swinging out from under his mostly unbuttoned shirt. It dangled in his vodka. “The boys called him with a problem, said the shipment was junk. He left dinner with little miss perfection and came down to check it out. Juss like they knew he would. Few pops, all it took.”
He sat back, the necklace plopping wetly against his shirt. He looked smug and I could tell he was being truthful. “I’ve got no words. They wouldn't set him up like that.”
“Pfft. It got them put in charge, right?” I didn't answer and he grew agitated. “Fuckin’ weasly sonovabitch, ain’t ya? Already up their asses and ain’t done shit.”
I stared at him, hoping he’d take off. I needed to leave, wanted to bolt, but I couldn't look suspicious. Jimmy finally grabbed his forgotten vodka and downed it, then stood and hovered over me. “Watch your back.”
He laughed like a fool as he walked off, and I didn't know if I should take his veiled threat seriously or assume he was full of shit. I sat for another fifteen minutes nursing my drink. I stared blankly at the stage and refused to take out my phone, though I desperately wanted to text Bella. I finally decided enough time had passed to not raise any attention and walked up to the bar, stuffing a few bills into the tip jar. I held the bottle of scotch the old man gave me against my thigh.
When I opened the door, Felix nodded at me from his post. I glanced behind me as the door closed.
“Felix? Is Jimmy someone I should watch out for?”
I wasn't sure if he’d answer, but he surprised me by replying immediately in his gravelly voice. “Nah. He’s sour to be passed over for promotion again, but he skims. He’s lucky he hasn't been given a mock execution.” He looked at me more closely. “Why, he givin’ you trouble?”
“Told me to watch my back.”
He nodded like he was interested in what I had to say for a change. “I’ll take care of it.”
“Okay. Thanks.” I didn't want to know in what way he would take care of it. I also suspected Bella would beat Felix to the punch once I told her what Jimmy had confessed.
Because I had finally stumbled upon the truth.
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